John and Tomoko serve with the Japan Baptist Union (JBU) churches in western area of Japan. Currently, they are working with the Nishi Okamoto Baptist Church in the city of Kobe which actively engages in ministry in its neighborhood. The Armagosts feel a call to reach out to the children and families of this community. Over the last few years, a Vacation Bible Club at the church has proved very successful in bringing children and their parents to the church for a first time experience. The Armagosts hope to provide more opportunities for people to learn about church, and to discover the love of God shown through Jesus Christ, and experienced through faith.

They write: Every Wednesday afternoon Tomoko and I go to Sone Baptist Church. First we spend some time at the church’s pre-school, playing and singing in simple English. After that we stay for an after school program called “Olive Club” which we help lead.

Pastor Watanabe works hard to connect the children and families who come to the preschool with the wider church family. However, as is often the case, graduation from the preschool and kindergarten seems to also be a graduation from the church. Her desire was to find a way to keep a connection with the children, to remind them that even though they are not part of the pre-school, the church can still be a part of their lives. How to do that was the question.

It just happens that the elementary schools in the Sone area of Osaka have a policy of no after school programs or activities on Wednesday. This is rather unusually in modern Japan where schools seem to work hard to keep children busy 6 or 7 days a week. Anyway, this provides a great window of opportunity for the Sone Church to have an after school program. Pastor Watanabe passed out flyers around the neighborhood, and especially invited children who had just graduated from the pre-school in March. Tomoko and I plan lots of games, and a Bible story, and a little singing, before we end with some snacks.

To be honest, it has been a little slow in building energy. At first it was mostly first graders, children who had a connection through the pre-school. Over the months however, the numbers have been growing, especially with a group of 4th to 6th grade girls. We overheard one girl say to her friend on the way out the door one day, “This is best! Are you coming next week?” One faithful person is Sai-chan, a 4th grader who has not missed a Wednesday since we began. She is also faithful in attendance at Sunday School each week, though she is the only 4th grader.

Last Sunday the Sone Church invited Tomoko to come to bring a special message for the worship service. Special invitations were sent out, and the word was spread. When Tomoko arrived Sai-chan was there with an excited greeting. It seems that some of the new friends from the “Olive Club” had come for the first time. Sai-chan wasn’t the only 4th grader for once. The Sone Church will have an overnight “camp” at the church next month, and the Olive Club children are invited.

• Join us in praying that connections and faith in the Lord will grow.
• Pray for John and Tomoko as they serve Christ in Japan.
• Pray also for their children Ami (U. of Waterloo), Alisen (16) and Andy (14).